Respect is earned.

After a difficult loss the opposing team was overheard saying to themselves, "we are the best. That team shouldn't even been on the same court with us." Some people would say that statement was disrespectful to the losing team. What it did reveal was the losing team did not gain the respect from their opponent.

Recently the Tacoma News Tribune reported the game bewteen CK and Lincoln. The title of the article was, "Abes' pressure deflates Central Kitsap." One of the Lincoln players said, “It was a hostile environment," Lincoln senior Rayshon Cranshaw said. "But we’ve played in hostile environments before, and we knew if we played pressure defense they couldn’t handle it.” Lincoln had the attitude it takes to success. The hard work and experience paid off in the end. Respect was the result.

RESPECT IS EARNED. One cannot just say they are a basketball team, they the need to show they are a team on the basketball floor. The road to earning respect begins before you walk on the court at workout. I can't help but evisioning Tyler Hansbrough from North Carolina. He has earned respect from players, coaches and the media because of his work ethic. In a recent interview on ESPN, he acknowledged that he practices with an attitude and with passion.

1. Have Attitude - as you get ready to walk on the floor, be ready to do everything correctly and with authority. Say to yourself, "No, one is going to steal the ball from me. My man is not going to get an easy lane to the basket. I am going to contest every shot. I will touch the endlines when we run sprints. I am going to be the hardest working player on the court."

2. Have Passion - play hard, under control and with intensity. During workouts, many players pace themselves as if it is a long distance run. Basketball is a series of sprints: stop and go, dive and slide. Leave it all on the floor,(break a sweat, floor burns, lungs burn, muscles aches, horse voice) all for the love of the game.

If you add these two qualities to your workouts, you will earn the respect from your teammates. As a team, you will earn respect from you opponants. Teams will not overwhelm you. You can handle whatever pressure they give, because you are preapred with the right attitude and passion.